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“A great wine education class. I was amazed by the instructor's wealth of knowledge, the great wines to taste and talk about, and the small, intimate class size. A fun way to learn a lot about wine.”

—Will, Ritchie Creek Vineyards

The Art & Science of Fine Wine

~ $249 per person; $469 per couple.
~ weekly on weeknights at 7:00 pm

Our 3-session course designed to help wine enthusiasts understand how climate, topography, and winemaker decisions alter the taste characteristics of important grape varieties all over the world. Certain factors about wine – such as how ripe the grapes get, or whether the vines are stressed for water, or whether the wines are aged in oak barriques – are similar in Burgundy, in Australia, in California, or in Chile. Once you understand some thirty concepts, you can apply them to master the differences between most of the world’s most famous growing districts, and the most prominent wines produced in each. After this class, you'll buy wine more confidently, serve it with greater enjoyment, and take much more satisfaction in your own wine tasting.

• See the projected wine list

Click below to enroll now, space is limited.

Regionality vs. Varietals: the European perspective vs. the New World attitude. Rain, fog, diurnal fluctuation, length of growing season, humidity, wind. Soil depth and porosity, site gradient and aspect. Trellising techniques, row orientation, labor force expertise. Taste characteristics due to regional style vs. winemaker style. Factors influenced by grape varietal expression. Vine species differentiation and clones.

Vine diseases and pests. Frost. Access to water. Row length. Planting costs. Winery size. Relative dates for budbreak and ripening on different varieties. Rootstock and clones. Virus and heat-treated vines. Vine spacing and trellising techniques.Winter pruning, shoot thinning, cluster thinning. Green harvest and leaf removal. Sales contracts, and price of grapes. Mechanization for pruning and picking. ‘Green’ wines.

Harvest decisions: pick date; pH; sugar; sampling; seeds; taste; extended hang-time. Vineyard sections and the concept of terroir. Berry size and cluster weight. Sunburn, rot, botrytis, shatter. Birds.

Typicity in aroma. Ripeness level as determined by the winemaker. Tannin management and adjustments. Balancing acid and alcohol. Microbiological load as a function of winery hygiene. Winemaker style vs. varietal style. Factors influencing blending decisions. Whole berries, stems. Skin soak. SO2 and organic winemaking. Fermentation vessel shape and access. Yeast types, sur lie aging and bâtonnage. Punch down vs. pump over. Flavor enhancement and concentration. Malo-lactic fermentation. Different barrel woods, air-dried vs. kiln-dried staves, fire-coopered barrels. Blending for consistency, for quality, for style. Cost of packaging.

Schedule

Winter Semester - Burgess Park Recreation Center, Menlo Park
~ $249 per person; $469 per couple.

For the couples price for the February 2010 class in Menlo Park,
enter coupon code A&Sfeb10MP in the checkout window

• Session 1: VINE SPECIES, TOPOGRAPHY, MACRO-CLIMATE - Feb 17, 2010
• Session 2: VINEYARD DECISIONS - Feb 24, 2010
• Session 3: WINEMAKING DECISIONS - March 3, 2010

Enroll Now »

Spring Semester - Fort Mason, San Francisco
~ $249 per person; $469 per couple.

For the couples price for the April 2010 class in San Francisco,
enter coupon code A&Sapr10SF in the checkout window

• Session 1: VINE SPECIES, TOPOGRAPHY, MACRO-CLIMATE - April 13, 2010
• Session 2: VINEYARD DECISIONS - April 20, 2010
• Session 3: WINEMAKING DECISIONS - April 27, 2010

Enroll Now »

Fall Semester - Piedmont Community Center, 711 Highland
~ $249 per person; $469 per couple.

For the couples price for the October 2010 class in Piedmont,
enter coupon code A&Soct10P in the checkout window

• Session 1: VINE SPECIES, TOPOGRAPHY, MACRO-CLIMATE - Oct 13, 2010
• Session 2: VINEYARD DECISIONS - Oct 20, 2010
• Session 3: WINEMAKING DECISIONS - Oct 27, 2010

Enroll Now »